USA Hockey tabs Badgers' Eaves to lead squad

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Hockey on Wednesday
named Mike Eaves the coach of the American men's national team
for next month's International Ice Hockey Foundation World
Championship.

Eaves, who guided Wisconsin to its sixth NCAA title on Saturday,
led the U.S. to its first gold medal at the 2004 IIHF World
Junior Championship. In 2002, he also guided the American
Under-18 team to its first gold.

Eaves will be assisted by Keith Allain and Jay Leach at the
World Championship, which will take place May 5-21 in Riga,
Latvia. Allain is the St. Louis Blues' goaltending coach, while
Leach is an assistant with the Washington Capitals.

"Mike is one of the outstanding young coaches in our game
today," said Team USA general manager Paul Holmgren, also the
assistant GM of the Philadelphia Flyers. "He's an excellent
teacher of the game and has worked successfully with players at
all levels of hockey."

Eaves is 88-60-19 in four seasons with the Badgers.

"It's truly a thrill to be asked to coach the U.S. men's
national team," Eaves said. "I'm looking forward to the
challenge."